What can worsen Rheumatoid arthritis? What are the habits which must not be taken forward? What really should be not followed anymore? Let's know about how not to worsen Rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder in which there is a malfunctioning of the immune system. The antibodies start attacking the healthy cells of the body. Similarly, in this autoimmune disorder, the antibodies start attacking the cells present in the lining of joints. To manage a disease, one must avoid & adopt healthy things which will help in healing the body.
We all know there are things that can help in healing the disease, while there are also a few things that lead to the aggravation of the symptoms. This blog will share the things which make Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms worse.
What to avoid if you have Rheumatoid Arthritis?
The first section of this blog will share the food items to avoid which deteriorate the condition & make Rheumatoid arthritis worse.
So, let’s begin with the food items that must not be included in the diet if you want to live healthily.
Dairy Products
- Dairy products are heavy and they are really hard on the digestive system. Milk, curd, sweets made up of milk, khoya, milk cream, and everything related to milk products must not be used.
- The main reason behind this is the symptoms may flare up because of the proteins present in dairy products. Even a few people who are diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis, become intolerant to milk and the proteins present in the products.
Pulses
- The pulses and lentils have high protein content. When these pulses are used almost regularly in your diet, it becomes difficult for the body to heal from these symptoms.
- The high protein content will increase the intensity of the symptoms which will harm the body and make the condition worse. So, limit the use of pulses and lentils.
Processed Food
- Processed food means synthetic food items. As the name says, it is formed by using too much of chemicals and preservatives. This food is basically morbid.
- Dead food does not provide any kind of nutrition to the body. It only gives the chemical content to the body. It will result in severe rheumatoid arthritis pain.
Non-vegetarian Food
- The animal-based diet will not be helpful for the body, it will rather deteriorate the existing condition.
- The non-veg diet is heavy and is a rich source of protein. It becomes tough for the digestive system to digest the animal diet.
Wheat
- You will be surprised to know the fifth on the list which is wheat! Yes, the wheat! In Indian houses, it is the staple diet.
- Ayurveda advises using alternate flour for better living. Since wheat is sticky in nature, it becomes heavy for the body to digest it. Also, due to its this nature, it may clog the pores of the intestines which is referred to as a leaky gut.
The Modifications in Lifestyle That Help Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Stop Living a Sedentary Lifestyle
- The desk jobs and inactive lifestyle will put your bones & joints in a risk. It will decrease the mobility of the body. So, don’t let this passive life ruin you and make you bedridden.
- Being overweight will also put force on your joints and may weaken the bones. Those extra kilos might lead you to serious complications and may make RA worse.
Overuse of the Muscles
- Everything which is in mild quantity is normal. If you are over-exerting your body it will put excess pressure on the joints. The bones and joints are already weak and excess pressure will only lead to the degeneration of the cartilage.
- Avoid the high-impact exercise routine, strenuous activities must not be included in your daily routine. It will only intensify the symptoms.
Prolonged Staying In a Single Posture and Overuse of Hands
- If you are staying in a single posture for a long duration, then it will put pressure on the already inflamed joints and may result in compression of nerves, and degeneration of the cartilage. Shift your postures after a while to ensure proper mobility of the limbs.
- Similarly, overuse of hands. We know in Rheumatoid arthritis, the hands are affected the most. Deformation of fingers and nodule formation in the joints are the common symptoms of this autoimmune disorder. The issue will get worse if you type on a computer all the time, continually use your thumb to text, or lift heavy objects. Therefore, effort should be reduced to lessen the strain on hands because exerting too much can result in magnifying the signs.
- So, avoid using your hands too much. Try taking brakes in between and do not over-tire them. Take this seriously, as neglecting this can make your Rheumatoid arthritis worse.
Mobility Aids
- After a while, if properly not managed, your condition will get worse. It is pretty obvious that if care is not taken, the symptoms will flare up and get worse.
- If unfortunately, you face such kinds of problems, where you need to take mobility aids, then do not avoid them. At such times, extra care must not be avoided as it is okay and normal to accept help.
- It may be tough for you and mentally challenging to depend but a cane, wheelchair or support does not and will not define who you are! It will just reduce your pain & risk.
Negative Attitude
- Affirmations exist. If you believe good things will happen they certainly do and if you focus on the negativity it eventually manifests.
- In tough times, you have to be strong and adopt a positive attitude. A negative attitude will bring stress, anxiety, and depression which will lead to the flaring up of symptoms and worsening of the present condition. Do not overthink about your condition and try to distract yourself and be happy!
Substance Abuse
- Smoking and drug intake increase pain in arthritis patients. All these might be a suitable coping mechanism but c’mon we all know they not only disturb internal physiology but also mental peace too.
- So, just quit alcohol, tobacco, and smoking. Try adopting healthy habits instead. You can chew on fennel seeds for the craving or choose to distract yourself from the urge by forming a creative habit.
Another Thing You Can Do Is Meditate!
The best option for Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment is Ayurveda. With an aim to use a purely natural approach, it benefits the body by giving no side effects. So, adopt a healthy lifestyle, so that the habits followed you do not make your Rheumatoid arthritis worse.
If you will avoid the above-mentioned habits, your life will become much easier! Try adding simple remedies to your daily routine, because Ayurveda is a lifestyle that promotes healthy & disease-free living.
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